Three United Nations Special Rapporteurs have sent an official communication to the Azerbaijani government regarding the arrest of journalist Ulviya Ali (Guliyeva), who is currently in detention.

In the communication sent on January 16, Special Rapporteurs Reem Alsalem, Irene Khan, and Margaret Satterthwaite requested explanations from the authorities regarding the journalist’s arrest and alleged ill-treatment.

According to the rapporteurs, Ulviya Ali was detained by police at her apartment during the night of May 6–7 after covering a court hearing of an opposition politician. They noted that she was allegedly subjected to physical pressure during the detention, was not provided with access to a lawyer, and that the search of her home was conducted with serious procedural violations. It was later reported that cash allegedly not belonging to the journalist was “found” in her apartment.

Concerns are emerging over the quality of housing provided to residents returning to the Karabakh region, with allegations of poorly constructed and incomplete homes.

A resident identified as Fariz, currently living at 157 Heydar Aliyev Avenue in the city of Lachin, has publicly raised complaints about the condition of the house allocated to him. In video footage he shared, Fariz alleges that low-quality materials were used in the construction, that the building process was carried out negligently, and that it did not comply with established construction standards. He also claims that some equipment listed in the official construction estimates was missing.

According to Fariz, visible cracks have already appeared on the building’s facade, despite the house having been recently commissioned. He further alleges that the foundation was not properly laid, raising concerns about the structural integrity of the building.

On March 11, the Baku Court for Serious Crimes announced the verdict in the case of Azer Gasimli, head of the Institute of Political Management. The court, chaired by Judge Elmin Rustamov, sentenced Gasimli to 12 years in prison.

Earlier, the state prosecutor had requested a 13-year prison sentence.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for the release of imprisoned journalists in Azerbaijan, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty employee and economist Farid Mehralizada.

In a statement, RSF said that Mehralizada will file a cassation appeal on March 6 against the nine-year prison sentence handed down to him in the Abzas Media case. The organization urged the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release him and all other journalists currently detained in the country.

Prosecutors in Azerbaijan have requested an eight-year prison sentence for social worker Zamin Zaki, who is currently detained as part of a criminal investigation involving local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The request was announced during a hearing held on March 4 at the Baku Court for Serious Crimes, chaired by Judge Elmin Rustamov.

According to the prosecutor, the charges brought against Zaki under Articles 193-1 (money laundering), 308 (abuse of official authority), and 313 (official forgery) of the Criminal Code have been confirmed during the trial.

Six individuals have been brought to administrative responsibility over their social media posts. Four of them were sentenced to administrative detention, while two were fined.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said the individuals violated Article 510.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses by sharing content on social networks that allegedly insulted public morality, showed open disrespect and contained immoral expressions.

Labor rights activist and board member of the “Workers’ Table” Trade Unions Confederation, Sara Rahimova, says she has been placed on a wanted list, subjected to a criminal investigation and barred from leaving Azerbaijan.

According to Rahimova, she learned of the measures on 21 February while attempting to collect her foreign passport at ASAN Service Center No. 3 in Baku. She was informed that a criminal case had been opened against her and was taken to Police Station No. 22, after which officers from the Sabail District Police Department brought her in for questioning.

At the police department, Rahimova was told that a criminal case had been initiated against her in 2024, that she had been declared wanted and that a travel ban had been imposed. She says she has not been informed of any charges.

A private security company reported to be linked to the family of State Security Service (DTX) head Ali Nagiyev has won a series of government tenders worth more than 16 million manats since the beginning of 2026.

According to data published on the unified public procurement portal, “GESCO” OJSC was selected as the winner in several tenders held by state institutions, including the Ministry of Science and Education and the State Service for Property Issues. The contracts cover the organization of security services in cities and regions and total 16,372,687 manats.

Transparency International has released its 2026 Corruption Perceptions Index. According to the report, Azerbaijan ranks lowest among the South Caucasus countries.

A new hearing was held at the Baku Grave Crimes Court, chaired by Judge Vugar Seyidov, in the case of Bashir Suleymanli, head of the Institute for Civil Rights and a human rights defender. In his statement, Suleymanli rejected the charges against him and said that his activities had been carried out within the framework of the law.